Salvia Abuse Treatment

Salvia divinorum, commonly known as Salvia, is a psychoactive herb that produces brief but extremely intense hallucinations when used, generally via smoking. For centuries, indigenous groups throughout the United States have used salvia for religious purposes, but in the past few decades, an increasing number of people have begun using it recreationally. Dozens of videos of people under salvia’s effects have appeared on social media sites like YouTube. Common slang terms for salvia include “sally-d,” “magic mint” and “diviner’s sage.”

Salvia is commonly abused in the form of what looks like chopped-up green leaves, but can also be abused in a liquid concentrate form. Users can chew, smoke and vaporize the plant. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), it is unclear if salvia use leads to any form of dependence or addiction.

The drug’s legal status is also complex as there are many states that have scheduled salvia as an illegal drug and others that have decriminalized the drug. Even while it has been reported that the drug has a long history of use for spiritual purposes and is also used to treat diseases including Alzheimer’s and post-traumatic stress disorder, it is not correct to dismiss salvia as a relatively harmless, non-addictive substance.

Symptoms of Salvia abuse

Salvia dramatically and quickly alters perception, especially for someone who’s exposed to it without their full awareness or consent. Salvia trips can involve the loss of consciousness and memory. Although salvia’s effects last only for a short while, it’s enough time to cause a person under the drug’s effects to lose contact with reality or to roll around on the floor giggling, or jump through a window to escape a perceived danger.

Some of the common symptoms of salvia abuse include:

Depersonalization

Extreme mood shifts, often including intense sensations of fear and panic

Hallucinations

Loss of memory and coordination

Psychotic states

A compulsion to use salvia

An inability to stop using salvia, or believing that participating in life fully requires using salvia

Participating in dangerous behavior while under salvia’s effects

Experiencing psychological damage, including psychosis, from repeated use of salvia along with other illicit substances

Changes in vision

What is Addiction?

Addiction is a disease that manipulates a person’s sense of reward, motivation, memory and a number of related neurological functions.

Effects of Salvia abuse

The effects of Salvia abuse vary from person to person and are dependent on numerous variables such as size and strength of the dose, user’s familiarity with salvia’s effects, his/her mental state as well as the environment – a person taking salvia in a controlled environment may have experiences wildly different from a user taking the drug in a loud nightclub or dorm room

Salvia’s effects are very strong, manifesting shortly after the drug is used. The effects last for around half an hour. Users report experiencing very vivid, sometimes disturbing visual, tactile and auditory hallucinations.

Recent studies have shown that salvia acts on opioid receptors in the brain, however, the opioid receptors salvia targets are different from the receptors affected by opioid use. Long-term effects of salvia abuse are largely unknown. Some researchers think long-term salvia use could result in users experiencing flashbacks similar to those experienced by habitual users of hallucinogens. Other studies on rats showed memory problems resulting from long-term exposure to salvia. More alarmingly, there have also been at least two cases of suicides linked to salvia use.

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Getting help for Salvia abuse

Withdrawal symptoms of salvia can be hard to spot because physical clues do not normally appear. Someone who casually engages in salvia abuse may have other substance abuse and mental disorder issues. Both are serious medical conditions that can have devastating consequences if not treated. However, Sovereign Health is here to help. Our substance abuse treatment programs use effective, scientifically backed treatment modalities to ensure our patients have the best chance to recover completely.

What sets Sovereign Health apart from other treatment providers is our commitment to treating our patients holistically. Rather than simply treating the symptoms of salvia use, we also address any underlying mental disorders that often drive people to use dangerous substances like salvia for perceived relief.

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Why choose Sovereign Health?

Sovereign Health understands the underlying problems that can lead a person to turn to salvia for relief. Our treatment program is well-planned and begins with a detoxification treatment offered at one of the Salvia detox centers. The detox program used during the Salvia detox treatment cleanses one’s body completely from all sort of unwanted substances thereby, making the path to recovery easy/

What is Addiction?

Addiction is a disease that manipulates a person’s sense of reward, motivation, memory and a number of related neurological functions.

Sovereign Health is a premier provider of substance abuse and mental health treatment for a variety of reasons:

Comfortable and safe facilities for detoxification and recovery across the U.S.

Facilities accredited by the Joint Commission

Latest, evidence-based and holistic treatment modalities

Treatment for both body and mind

Sovereign’s patients are truly seen as individuals – and we tailor effective treatment plans to their exact needs. We’re with them every step of the way. A better life can start now. Call our 24/7 helpline for more details on how we can help you break free from salvia addiction.